By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The 23-year-old rookie quarterback with the aw-shucks humility and the Heisman trophy in his collection took the natural grass field inside Allegiant Stadium at 12:15 PM to warm up.
The Raiders’ new starting quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, played catch with backup Aidan O’Connell before the Raiders-Seahawks game.
When Raiders General Manager John Spytek traded 38-year-old Kirk Cousins and his lavish neck chain collection to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third round draft pick last week, it opend the door for the Raiders to name Mendoza as their QB1.
Mendoza won a college national championship last season with the Indiana Hoosiers.
But the Raiders are not contending for an NFL crown. With all the talk about Raiders quarterbacks, let’s not forget the team’s defense is awful, allowing the last six foes to score 30 or more points.
The Raiders have won four of their nine games this season and are 6.5 point underdogs against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks. Next week, Mendoza and the Raiders are off to Denver to the Broncos, an 8.5 point favorite.
The Raiders, which had only three wins and the NFL’s worst record last season, have winnable games this season against the Browns, Chargers, Titans and Cardinals. It’s realistic that the Raiders can double their win total from three to six this season.
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Mendoza Mania kicked into gear midway through the first period.
Mendoza completed his first two passes to tight ends Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers after the Raiders recovered a Seattle fumble by Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock.
Then the RAY-DERSSSSSSS screams erupted after Mendoza took a snap and ran for ten yards into the end zone to cap the first drive of his first Raiders start.
The Seahawks responded. Lock, filling in for starting quarterback Sam Darnold, scrambled to his left and fired a TD pass on the run to receiver Cooper Kupp.
Late in the first period, the Seahawks and Raiders were tied at seven apiece.
A Matt Gay 34-yard field goal gave the Raiders a 10-7 lead in the second quarter
PSA
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